Printer&#39;s plate hook



March 17; 1925 J. W. PITT PRINTERS PLATE HOOK Filed Oct. 4. 1924 INVENTOR 2 Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

JOHN w. PITT, or BATH, NEW YORK.

PRINTER S PLATE HCOK.

Application filed October 4, 1924. Serial No. 741,537.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. PITT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bath, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printers Plate Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

The object printers in securing stereotype, electrotype and other printing plates on the bed or cylinder of a printing press, and a furtherpurpose of the invention is to provide a plate-hook which may be quickly and firmly applied to position and conveniently detached, when desired, from the plate and bed. One of the objects of the invention is also to provide a plate-hook which is readily adjustable to the irregularities frequently found on the edges of printing plates, and

a further object of the invention is to provide a plate-hook whose parts may remain in assembled relatlon, whether on a printing press or held in stock, it being unnecessary with my present invention that the.

parts of the plate-hook need ever be entirely disassembled after said parts have been once brought together.

The invention resides in the novel features, structure and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out I in the claims, and which invention I desire to broadly protect.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of a portion of the bed of a" press having thereon a printing plate held by hooks constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention, six

of the hooks being shown;

'Fig. 2 is a vertical section,.on a'larger scale, through a portion of the same, the section being on the dotted line 2-2 of Fig. l;

3 is a transverse section through a portion of the bed of the press and illus-' trates the plate-hook of my invention in the initial position given to its parts on introducing the same to the groove of the bed of the press;

Fig. 4 is a corresponding view taken on the dotted line sir- 1: of Fig. 1, illustrating the plate-hook of my invention in its final position when secured in the groove of the bed and in engagement with the printing plate;

of the invention is provide ahighly eflicient plate-hook for the use of Fig. 5 is a top view of thebody portion of the plate-hook, with the clamp member shown in horizontal section, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through poretions of the bed of the press" and the plate thereon, and'through one of the hooks, the

section being on the dotted line 6--6 of invention, said bed, block or cylinder being formed with parallel diagonally'fdisposed grooves 22, which in the construction shown, are of dove-tail formation or have inwardly diverging overhanging side Wallsfl The plate 21 is also of customary form and has downwardly and outwardly beveled edges, as usual. v j

My invention resides in 'thefnovel'hooks or clamps adaptedto the grooves of the bed and affording. means for very firmly and eflectually securing the plate 21 in proper position on said bed. I f r Each of the hooks, referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, is composed of two main members or features, one of these" features being a body-portion 23 having a longitudinally projecting extension 24 provided on its'forward end with a head 50, and the other being a block 25 having thereon a clamping member26 carrying a screw 27. The body portion 23 is also provided with a screw 28, and said body portionis oblong in transverse section and has twoopposite flat sides and two opposite segmental sides, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the lesser transverse dimension adapted for entrance.

through the mouth of the dove-tail groove 1 22, as shown in Fig.3, and its greater transas shown in Fig. 2, the body-.23 beingformedl I with a' threaded hole through it to receive",

said screw 28, which has a polygonal bore to receive the end of an operating key and a flat inner end to engage the flat bottom v the groove 22, as shown in Fig. 2.

The extension or stem 2st is, generally speaking, of cylindrical outline at itssidesf and lowerpart and it is loosely fitted within the cylindricalbore 35 of; the,b1o ck 25, and near itscouter-end said extension or stem 24 is formed with a shoulder 36, be-

tween which and the body 23 the extension or ste1n2 has a flat downwardly and outwardly inclined smooth surface 37, which is adapted to receive the flat lower end of the screw 27, as shownin Fig. 2, whose longitudinal axis stands at a right angle toQsaide' surface 37, and which screw is i within aathreadedropening nor hole: 38 .in.

the block 25. Thescrew 27has apolygonal bore. to receive, an operating key of common; type- Theaextension 24 on :its. forward or outerrend, isprovided with ahead 50.. which has substantially flat upper, and.

lower sides and roundedvertical sides; and follows. the general shape.- and proportions of the body :23. y Thecheadn50, when the.

bodyi23; isturnedto. present. its fiat sides to the month of ,themgroove 22, as shown in. ;Fig. ,3, .takes ,a corresponding position and passes. downwardly through themouth of. the -;-groove 22,. and ithjen. when the body 23 is restqlfed tori-ts normal transverse position shown in Fig: 4, the head? 50 takes J a corresponding. positioniacross, the; groove 22,.as5shown,v by the-dottedlines Iin Fig. 1.

The forwardend; of the stem 241s ofreduced diameter, as at 51 (Fig. 2), and-at the .inner end v of thisred-ucedportion of the :stern :there is formed, byrreasonhofthe reduction, Ja .shoulden52. Theihea'd 50 has;

a central'bore and tightly fits uponthe reduced end 51 of the steIIi'..-24.- andabuts against the shoulder 52, aszshown in, Fig.

2,, and said head 50 is finally secured 1 in rigid, relation"- to the stein. by means-of a I vertical ,pin .53 which .passesthrough the head andthe reduced .yend'ibldof the stem. 24.; I regard the, presence of the head-'50,

' on the forward. end of the stem, 24: as of 1 come wedged; upwardly, with theloody 23,1 against (the opposing downwardly vdiverg ing vwalls-of the groove 22, :and -at this,

' time the head .50 serves. the important purspecial importance. The verticalsides of the; head-50, when the screw 27 is. tightenedagainst the'base-of, the groove 22, be-

pose of preventing the forward end of the ste1n24 from tilting upwardly, the pres ence of the body 23v and, head, .50. vserving to maintain the .StBIll 24in precise parallelism with the groove 22, saidyhead having thesame sustaining action for the forward end of said stein asthe body 28 has for. the other end of said stem. I .llLVQ found in practice thatin the absence of the head been passed into and in part through the oore35 in theblock 25. c I The blockv 25 may be; or ordinaryrectangular outline adapted to the grooves of the bed 20, and the clamping member 26 thereon is preferably formed integrally therewith. The block 25 contains the longitudinal or cylindrical bore adapted to detachably receive, the extension or stem 24, which is rigid with the body 23, and preferably said-extension or stem and said body are in'one piece. 7 .1 The polygonal bores in the :sorews127, 28 preferably have corresponding transverse dimensions .so that one operating key vmay.- serve 1- for tightening and yloosening both screws. i

The stem or spindle 24 is cylindricalriu its side andlower portionsso that the block 25 may. have angular adjustment :thereon.-tc-- permit the clampingrnember 26 to engage the beveled edges or the plate21 regardless o-f-szuch virregularities as maybe present on saidedges, and theonter, edge of the-mnember 26'whi-ch engages the plate121is down-v wardly and inwardly beveled or undercut, as shown inFig..2, so as to lap upon. and closely engage the edge of said .plate. In assemblingthe several features of my plate-hook, the block25 is slid upon the extension orstern 24 and. the head is then securedto. said stem-and the, screw 27 is, then applied to position; .The screw 28 may then, also: he. appliedto position, the screw 28. being substantially concealed with in the threaded hole .therefor in the. body 23,, and the. screw 27 being, worked' downwardly until the pointof the screw is be low the horizontal plane. of the upper edge of theshoulder 36.-and over the inclined surface ifi'i ofthe stein 24L. When the parts 23,125 are thusbrought together, they may be handled as a unit,'s-ince the. screw 27 and shoulder 86 constitute stops which prevent the accidental separation 01" saidvparts. In applying-the plate-hook upon the bed 20, I first loosen the screw 27, without entirely detaching it, and then turn the body 23.]so that its flat sides and the fiat sides of the head stand vertical, or in the position indicated in Fig. 3. In this position of the body .23 and head 50 I may drop said bodydownwardly' within the groove'22 of the bed 20,,theblock 25' entering said; groove at thesame time, while the clamping j aw26 v remains on the top of the bed and extends across the groove22. After the body 23, stem 24 and head .50 have been entered downwardly into'the groove 22, I then slide the plate-hook asa whole toward thewplate 21 and until the outer, edge of the clarnping' jaw 26 passes into approximately close engagement with the beveled edge of said plate. Thereafter I impart a partial turn to the body 28', so that the fiat sides of said body 'llO and of the head may be carried'to a horizontal position parallel with the surface of the bed 20 or to the relation indicated in Fig. 4, this partial rotation of said body 23 also serving to position the segmental side portions of said body and of said head 50 in close relation to the undercut side surfaces of the groove 22. The body 23 and head 50 are at this time in position to be bound to the bed 20, and in order to firmly secure the body 23 and head 50 in fixed position within the groove22, I, with the use of a key, work the screw 28 downwardly against the bottom of the groove 22 and thereby Wedge upwardly the body 23 and head 50 against the inclined ov,erhanging sides of said groove, said body and head thus becoming assuredly secured in fixed position. The screw 28 is thus a tightening and wedging screw for the body 23. After the body 23 has been firmly secured in position, I, with the use of the key used for tightening the screw 28, work the screw 27 downwardly against the inclined or wedge surface 37 of the spindle, extension or stem 24, and this will have the effect of causing the block 25 to move outwardly or in adirection toward the outer end of said spindle or stem 24 until it becomes arrested by a very firm clamping engagement of the in clined edge of the clamping member 26 with the beveled edge of the plate 21, whereupon the movement of said block 25 will cease, but the clamping member 26 will, by the action of the screw 27 and wedge-surface 37, remain firmly bound against the plate 21, while the body 23 and stem 24 remain securely held against longitudinal movement due to the screw 28 and the wedging of the segmental sides of said body and of the head 50 against the inclined walls of the groove 22.

When it is desired to release the platehook from the plate 21 and possibly from A the bed 20, I loosen the screws 27, 28' and give the body 23 a halfturn so as to bring its flat sides and the flat sides of the head 50 into'vertical position, and thereupon the plate-hook as a whole may he slid along the groove 22 and, if desired, elevated therefrom, the plate 21 then being fully released.

Frequently the edges of the plates 21 are or become irregular, and my invention adapts the clamping member 26 to engage and which may force the block 25 and jaw 26 to adapt themselvesto thecondition of the plate. The, angular adjustment just described of the jaw or hook 26 is permittedfro-m the fact that the block 25 and body 23 are swiveled together by the spindle or stem 2'4h'Wl1'lCh is on one of said parts and freely enters a socket orhole in the other part.

I have found that there is a distinct advantage inproviding the screW28 with a fiat inner end toengage the flat bottom of the groove 22, since with theuse of the flat ended screw I secure a regularity of position and movement in the body 23 which assures the correctand equal movement and wedging of the segmental sides of said body against the opposite side walls of the groove 22, the flat endof the screw and the pres: enre of the head 50 serving to prevent, any tilting action of the body 23 tending to prevent the regular upward movement of both segmental sides of said body uniformly. I have also found that there is a distinct advantage in providing the screw 27 with a flat inner end to engage the fiat surface 37 of the stem 24. I therefore preferably use flat ended screws 27, 28, and I have also found that the use of screws having poly 71. T heplate hooks whose clamping members have the beveled edges 7 O and straight edges 71, respectively, I designate as rights and lefts.

The two plate hooks shown at the lower left hand corner of Fig. 1 are identical with" the other plate hooks illustrated in the drawings except that in respect to said two plate hooks 1 form the clamping members 72- thereof of triangular outline and correedges may be used to'engage the edge of a printing plate 21. hen the plate hooks have the triangular clamping members 72, all of the plate hooks in use may be exactly alike, since with this construction the clamping members may be engaged with either the transverse side edges of the printing plate or the end edges thereof, as will be understood on reference to Fig. 1. v I v I have hereinbefore described in specific known to me embodying my: invention, but:

1 do not: limit my invention tov all of: the

details of form and structure shown and 1 described, since I am aware that some thereof are capable of: modification "without 'departure from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1.; A .printefls' plateehook adapted to the dove-tail grooves in the-beds and the like of presses,- comprising an elongated integral body-member having a stem PI'OJBGMIIg longitudinally from one end thereof, and formed Wlljll downwardly and rorwardlymclmed I i upper surface, said bodymem-ber being oblong in transverse section Wlth the lesser transverse dimension adapted for direct downward entrance through the mouth ofthe dove-tail; groove and'the greater trans verse dimension greater than the width of sz-iid'inouth, said body being in transverse sectional contour adapted for turningabout a longitudinal axis when entered within the groove and having a tightening screw set through the same transversely of its greater transverse dimension for impingement on thefiat bottom of the groove fortightening thebody in the groove bycrowding the body up against the overhanging sides of the groove; and a block receiving and slidable longitudinally on said stem and carrying a plate-clamping jaw and also a screw adapted to be engaged with said inc-lined surface for moving said block and jaw.

2. A, printersplate-hook as claimed in claim 1, in whichsaid elongated body-member has convex opposite sides extending below'the overhanging walls of the dove-tail groove and flat upper and lower surfaces.

8. A p'rinters plate-hook as claimed in claim 1, in which both the'said screws have polygonalbores of corresponding transverse dimensions so that one operating key may serve for tightening and loosening both screws.

4. A printers plate-hookas claimed in claim 1, in which'the plate clamping jaw is of'triangular formation and has two diverging edges eitherzof which-may engage the plate.

5. A printers plate-hook adapted tothe grooves in the beds and thelike of presses} COTl'lPllSlDg a body member having a stem projecting forwardly from one end thereof 1 having on its forward end a head, said body member and head adapted tobe turned angularly and being of acontour permitting them when turned in one position to be entered Wltlllll the groove and when thereafter turned to'another position-to be caught with in the-groove, said body-member having a screw to engage the bottom of the groove and wedge said member and said head upwardly against the overhanging side walls ofithe groove, a "second member slidingly 'mounted on said stem andehaving-a plate clamping jaw, and means for giving the jaw-carrylng member its'plate clamping movement.

6. A; printers plate-hook adapted to' the grooves'in the beds: and the like of presses,

comprising a body memberhaving a stem pro ecting forwardly from one end thereof having on its forward end-a head,'sa1d body member and head adapted to be turned angularly {and being of a contour permitting them when turned in oneposition to be entered withinthe groove and whenthereafter turned to anotherposition-to be caughtfwi-thin the groove, said body-memberhaving a screw to engage the bottom of the groove and wedge said member and said-head upwardly-against the overhangingside walls projecting forwardly therefrom'provided on its ,forward end with a'head,'s'aid bodymember and head having flat upper and lower surfaces and rounded sides and adapted on being turned angularly in one position to be entered Within the groove and when thereafter turned to another position to 'be caughtjwi-thin the groove, said bodymember having a screw to engage thebot tom of the groove and'wedge said member and said head upwardly against the overhanglng side walls; of the groove, a second member slidingly mounted on sa d stem and having a plate clamping aw, and means for clamping movement.

' 85A printer s plate-hook adapted to the giving the jaw carrying member its plategrooves in'the bedsand the like of presses,

comprising a body-member having a stem projecting forwardly. from one end thereof having on'its, forward end ahead, said bodymember and head adapted to be turned angularly and being of a contour permitting themwhen turned in one position to be entered withinthe groove and when thereafter turned to another position to be caught within the" groove, said body-memberhaving a screw to engage the bottom of the groove and Wedge said member andsaid head upwardly against the overhanging side I Walls of the groove,- a second member slidingly mounted on said stem and having a plate clamping jaw, and means for giving the jaw-carrying member 'its plate-clamping movement, saidste'm at its forward end be ing of reduced diameter and having a'shouL- der at the back end of such reduced portion, and said head fitting upon said reduced portion and against said shoulder and being secured by a pin extending transversely through said head and such portion.

9. A printers plate-hook adapted to the grooves in the beds and the like of presses, comprising an integral body-member having a stem projecting forwardly from one end thereof, said body member being of a trans verse contour permitting it when turned on edge and at a right-angle to the bed to be entered within the groove and when thereafter given a reverse one-half turn to be caughtwithin the groove, said body member having a screw to engage the bottom of the groove and wedge said member upwardly against the overhanging side walls of the groove, second member swiveled and slidable on said stem and having a plate clamping jaw, and means for giving the jaw-carrying member its plate clamping movement.

10. A printers plate-hook adapted to the grooves in the beds and the like of presses, comprising an integral body-member having a stem projecting forwardly from one end thereof, said bodyanember being of rectangular horizontal outline and having fiat upper and lower surfaces and rounded sides and adapted when turned in one position to be entered within the groove and when thereafter turned to another position to be caught within the groove, said bodymember having a screw to engage the bottom of the groove and wedge said member upwardly against the overhanging side walls of the groove, a second member swiveled and slidable on said stem and having a plate clamping aw, and means for giving the jaw-carrying member its plate clamping movement. i

11. A printers plate hook adapted to the grooves in the beds and the like of presses, comprising an integral bodymember having a stem projecting forwardly from one end thereof, said body-member being of a transverse contour permitting it when turned'in one position to be entered within the groove and when thereafter turned to another position to be caught within the groove, said body-member having a hollow screw to engage the bottom of the groove and wedge said member upwardly against the over hanging side walls of the groove, said stem having a downwardly and forwardly inclined upper surface, and a second member swiveled and slidable on said stem and having a plate clamping aw and a hollow screw to engage said inclined surface of the stem and give said jaw carrying member its plate clamping movement, said hollow screws having corresponding polygonal bores for cooperation with a single operating key.'

12. A printers plate-hook as claimed in claim 5, in which the plate clamping jaw is of triangular formation and has two diverging edges either of which may engage the plate.

Signed at Bath, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, this first day of October, A. D, 1924:. v JOHN W. PITT. 

